New homeowners with GREEN pool :(

[mrsbanks]

My husband and I purchased a home 2 weeks ago and it came with a pool!! Unfortunately, it was not maintained during the off season and was a dark green when we moved in.

The previous homeowners told us to just scoop out all of the leaves, throw 6 bags of shock in it, sick back and wait about 4 days and it would be crystal blue. Well, we did that, and it instead of a crystal blue, it turned a pretty teal green. LOL

We shocked more, no change. Have been running the vacuum now because I read that the green may be caused by dead algae and running the vacuum may help that.

I purchased, first, that testing kit from walmart there you drop the yellow and red drops in the water to test chlorine, Bromine, and Ash. it was WAY down with basically no color.

So today, I went to walmart and picked up some Borax and baking soda, stabilizer along with the testing strips.

I added first, one box of borax and approx. 6 cups of baking soda along with the stabilizer. Tested, the PH was still low and so I added the other box of Borax.

My readings are as follows:
Total Hardness: Looks like right at 100 which is low. Not sure how to fix that.
Total Chlorine: 3, which says OK
Free Chlorine: 0 (not sure what this means or how to fix it
Bromine: 0 (again, not sure what this means or how to fix it)
PH: 7.2, it says ok
Total Alkalinity: 120 which says "ok low"
Stabilizer: between 50 and 100, both of which say ok.

My color drop tester says:
PH: 7.6 "ideal"
Bromine and Chlorine: both show high levels of 5.0 for Chlorine and 11.0 for Bromine.

I still have a green pool. Actually, it looks a little greener since putting everything in. I really don't know what to do. :( It was 85 degrees here today and the temps keep getting higher, so I'd really like to get this pool ready.

Can someone PLEASE help me? I'm a total novice, so I won't be offended if you speak to me like a kindergartner...LOL Might actually be better for me. HAHAHA

TIA for all your help! My kids will love me forever if I can make this work!

Oh and just a little info on the pool:
Above ground: 18 ft Round ~ 7,646 gallons ~ 4 ft' deep
Hayward Dream Line Sand filter Model number S190TSCP

[PoolDoc]

Shouldn't be two hard to clean up, if your filter is working OK. Do you know how to backwash? If not, you'll need to get someone to show you. If your filter IS working, you should see the pressure shown on the gauge increase as it catches algae. And, the backwash water should be FILTHY.

Other than that, forget about all your test results, except two: free chlorine and pH.

To take care of your chlorine, add 2 gallons of 6% bleach every PM, and test chlorine every AM. Once you have an AM free chlorine greater than 10 ppm, stop till it drops below 5, and then dose with 2 gallons again. If your algae is getting under control, you should have more than 10 ppm in the AM before the sun really hits it. Keep letting it drop, and then re-dosing, till you can add 2 gallons and see 10+ ppm in the AM

Meanwhile add a box of borax tonight. Check the pH in the AM -- but remember that your pH reading will not be reliable when chlorine is above 10 ppm. Try to get your pH to 7.6 - 8.0 -- you'll need to drop it a bit later on, but not now.

And, while all this chemical treatment is going on, keep brushing periodically, and vacuuming as you can. Clean the filter as needed.

Once the water is clear, blue, and algae free, repost and we can look at your other readings.

If your water becomes blue and algae free, you may want to carefully check your filter to make sure it's working properly.

Ben

[Watermom]

Mrs.Banks wrote:

"TIA for all your help! My kids will love me forever if I can make this work!"

Well, we certainly want your kids to love you forever!!;)

In addition to PoolDoc's advice above, do yourself a favor and get yourself a better test kit. Believe me, it will make your life much easier! We recommend the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C. If you order it from Amazon at the link in my signature line, the Pool Forum makes a little money to help us keep this site going. I would also suggest doing some reading on our sister site Pool Solutions. Lots of good info there about the basics of taking care of a pool. Welcome to the forum! Come back if you have more questions.

[mrsbanks]

Wow...that sounds easy. LOL I feel like we've been hitting a brick wall and have spent way too much money and time if it's that easy. lol

So I need to go pick up some bleach. How will I know if it's 6%? Is that just typical for all bleach? We just backwashed because I brushed the pool and that water was GROSS!!!!!

Should I add another box of Borax even though I just added 2 boxes today?

Is it normal for the water to be greener after adding chemicals than when I started? After I brushed the pool it got more green.

[mrsbanks]

Mrs.Banks wrote:

"TIA for all your help! My kids will love me forever if I can make this work!"

Well, we certainly want your kids to love you forever!!;)

In addition to PoolDoc's advice above, do yourself a favor and get yourself a better test kit. Believe me, it will make your life much easier! We recommend the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C. If you order it from Amazon at the link in my signature line, the Pool Forum makes a little money to help us keep this site going. I would also suggest doing some reading on our sister site Pool Solutions. Lots of good info there about the basics of taking care of a pool. Welcome to the forum! Come back if you have more questions.
Thank you. I'll look into getting that testing kit and definitely check out the other site! I'm SOOOO glad this site is here!

[Watermom]

I would not add another box of Borax since you already added two today. In regards to bleach --- check the label. It should say 6% sodium hypochlorite on it.

[mrsbanks]

Gotcha! I'll pick up 2 more boxed just in case I need them later. I'm picking up the Bleach tonight (gotta wait for the pizza to get here) LOL I'll post my readings tomorrow. :) Thanks again!

[CarlD]

MrsBanks: You are about to discover that even in your situation, pool care is easy.

One more thing, though: If you go to a pool store and tell them what we said, they will tell you we are crazy and try to sell you a million things you don't need for large amounts of money. The latest scam is "Your phosphate level is high. You need phosphate reducer." You don't. Luckily, you haven't been "Pool-Stored" yet. They would, with your numbers, sell you Soda Ash, "shock", Calcium increaser, clarifier, flocculant, algaecide, phosphate remover, stabilizer, and who knows WHAT else. They'd scare you with numbers of "total dissolved solids" and tell you bleach adds them (what it adds is salt, but not nearly as much as needed for a salt-water chlorine generator pool). And all this stuff would give your green goop that will clog your filter, but NOT get rid of your green disgusting water (check the other threads for the people who went to the pool store first, and the mess they have).

Meanwhile, we are telling you to add...borax (and now no more of THAT), and bleach, lots and lots of bleach. And, until it's clear, probably nothing else. Bleach (chlorine) is the broadest spectrum algaecide and killer of bacteria and viruses. It also breaks down oils and all kinds of other stuff. It's still the best stuff you can add, and the liquid form is the best form of chlorine for home pool owners. Follow Ben's advice and it WILL clear.

Welcome!

CarlD

[kelemvor]

Like you, I bought a house with a green pool (last july) and followed the directions on this site. Took only about a week to clear up - you can be confident in that the BBB method works well. Here's a before and after from my pool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14865808@N00/4857680807/in/photostream

[mrsbanks]

Update for today:
I added 2 gallons of 6% Bleach last night. Went out and checked the levels at 6:30 this morning. From what I could see, the free chlorine level was still at 0. So I added a quick gallon and ran to take my son to his appointment. I just got back (1:45), noticed the jet wasn't as powerful, so I checked the pressure gauge and it was running a little high, so I backwashed, N-A-S-T-Y!! Checked the levels. Free chlorine is at 6. I added 2 more.

My pool is still VERY green though and all the levels seem to be in the "normal" range. :( Should I be running the vacuum now, since I'm home and can watch it, or should the filter do the trick. My 8 year old is getting anxious LOL.

The funny thing is, I used to work for a pool company. One of the few VERY honest and reliable pool companies there are. I stopped by just to say hi today and my old boss asked me how things were going with the pool. I said I was about to get rid of the darn thing. LOL She said that above ground pools are the hardest to open. (figures). I told her what y'all were telling me to do with the BBB and she said that's actually what they use a lot of the time (shhhh don't tell the pool owners) LOL. So I was pretty shocked. I know there's a pool company around here that everyone takes their water testings too..but everyone who has told me to take the water also says "they'll try to get you to buy a ton of stuff you don't need" LOL So I am so glad I have y'all to help.

I know I could call my old boss and have him and his crew come out, but we just can't afford that right now. But last resort, I know he'll help me. i just want to do this on my own so I can become educated about my pool. :)

[mrsbanks]

Like you, I bought a house with a green pool (last july) and followed the directions on this site. Took only about a week to clear up - you can be confident in that the BBB method works well. Here's a before and after from my pool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14865808@N00/4857680807/in/photostream

HOLY WOW!!!!!!! that is the exact color my pool was when we moved in 2 weeks ago! I should go take a picture and do that everyday to show the progress. It got to where it was a light sea green, but for some reason, after I added everything, it's back to a nasty green. :(

[Spensar]

Constant chlorine and patience, it will get clear! Been there, done that, and thank goodness for this forum.

One thing not mentioned, is that after your water clears, you will likely see "dust" on the bottom of the pool, which is dead algae. I like to deal with it by vacumming to waste on the filter. ie. You are taking water out of the pool and putting it straight down the drain instead of trying to filter out all the particles. This is practical in my area where spring rain keeps the water levels up, and city water is reasonable.

[mrsbanks]

Constant chlorine and patience, it will get clear! Been there, done that, and thank goodness for this forum.

One thing not mentioned, is that after your water clears, you will likely see "dust" on the bottom of the pool, which is dead algae. I like to deal with it by vacumming to waste on the filter. ie. You are taking water out of the pool and putting it straight down the drain instead of trying to filter out all the particles. This is practical in my area where spring rain keeps the water levels up, and city water is reasonable.
How do I vacuum to waste? Whenever I turn the waste valve on, the only thing that happens is a ton of water comes out.

[CarlD]

If you have a multivalve on your filter, there should be a "waste" setting. You vacuum by plugging into your skimmer and when the pump is on the water comes out there, full force, which is why you have to have it drain somewhere (that's what rollup backwash hoses are for).

Yeah you lose water but I'd plug my other drains and only use the one the vacuum is in to minimize water loss.

[madwil]

you should be turning off the pump while changing the valve for most models... and you shouldn't get a gush of water when you change the valve, I don't think.
1- turn off pump
2- attach vacuum
3- change valve to waste
4- turn on pump
5- vacuum til pressure increases (usually about 10 psi above clean filter, but do not exceed filter max!)
6- turn off pump
7- backwash filter/ clean or replace cartridge
8- change valve back to waste if still needing vacuum, and vacuum some more
9- if no more vacuuming, restore valve to filter mode
10- turn on pump

The more frequently you can test Cl, and add however much to get back to shock levels, the quicker it will clear- so keep adding Cl regularly until it holds Cl level over night!

[mrsbanks]

Ok, sorry I haven't updated, been crazy. My free chlorine level has been at the 20 mark now since yesterday. And it even rained real good yesterday. My PH is dropping to the low low mark. So I guess I need to add more Borax? It's looking a little better. Still green but getting better. Am I still doing everything right? I've been doing what y'all have said...except I've stopped adding bleach cuz it go so high. Is that right. Here's a before and now pic of my pool :)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f315/smccrery/poolprogress.jpg

[PoolDoc]

1. Yes, add borax, if your pH shows low. But, you might want to set some pool water out in a shallow glass bowl, in the sun, and test the pH at the end of the day. Hopefully, the chlorine will be low enough to get a valid pH reading. Worst case: adding too much borax won't hurt much.

2. Be sure to brush the pool carefully. You don't want to leave any undisturbed piles of algae. Free chlorine does NOT penetrate 'algae clumps' well.

3. Do what you can to help your filter. Or, consider filling to overflow, turning your pump off overnight, and vacuuming to waste (via siphon) in the AM -- to get the settled algae out.

Ben